Rawmantic Bars
If there is one product that has commanded more shelf space in recent years, it’s the energy/protein/snack bar. From a one shelf allocation in the cookie aisle of grocery stores years ago to a partial grocery aisle today, bars have become the go-to supplement for millions of Americans.
Although bars are convenient, most of them have too much sugar and/or unhealthy ingredients, or just taste awful. For me, it got to the point that the only time I packed a bar was if I was going for a hike or a road trip because the alternative was worse – no food or SAD (Standard American Diet) food. Read more 
Almond Biscotti Cookies (Vegan)
Almond Biscotti Cookies are not quite biscotti – that tends to be dry – and not quite a cookie – that tends to be very sweet – which makes them the perfect treat for someone who prefers an insanely delicious snack that falls between these two categories of sweets. Moist and slightly sweet, Almond Biscotti Cookies are vegan but are not a “health” food owing to the inclusion of canola oil and sugar but they are worth it. That these cookies are super easy to make is an added bonus!
These cookies disappear quickly. The recipe is easily doubled (note: the standard recipe below makes about 20-22 pieces). In terms of oil and sugar, each cookie has about 1 teaspoon of oil and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Read more
Nana Joes Granola Bars
Looking for a granola bar that is vegan, gluten-free and made with organic ingredients? How about a granola bar that tastes crunchy, delicious, and satisfying? Then Nana Joes Granola Bars are the bomb. Handmade in San Francisco, Nana Joes Granola Bars come in four flavors, three of which have a base of oats and maple syrup and one with a base of unsweetened coconut chips and maple syrup: Read more
Oat Bars
One of the challenges of eating a plant-based diet is finding ways to make desserts with little or no oil and no refined sugar. But, the challenge is deeper than that because a truly nutritious treat is also about what is included. Ideally, ingredients that stand alone as nutritious and delicious.
I started with a recipe called Pumpkin Seed and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Bars by Dreena Burton and adapted the ingredients to come up with a recipe for Oat Bars that contain whole grain oats, whole grain oat flour, seeds, nuts, spices, date syrup, dark chocolate chips, and non-dairy milk. Basically, these bars are whole-grain and plant-based with no dairy, no oil, no refined sugar, and no eggs.
Oat Bars have a base of rolled oats and oat flour whose flavor is enhanced with what I call “the big 3” – pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and dark chocolate chips. The big 3 are simply three wholesome ingredients that are super tasty together. But, if you find raisins, walnuts, and sunflower seeds more to your liking, make a substitution. Read more
Almond Butter Oat Chocolate Chip Crumble
It’s like eating cookie dough, only better.
Almond Butter Oat Chocolate Chip Crumble is a chewy, delicious, and nutritious topping that take minutes to make, a few hours to chill and seconds to devour. With only six ingredients: almond butter, whole grain oats, almonds, maple syrup, chocolate chips, and a touch of salt, Almond Butter Oat Chocolate Chip Crumble is the perfect topping for baked fruit, oatmeal, whole grain cereals, or ice cream because it satisfies a sweet craving while providing lots of nutrients and fiber without added refined sugar or flour. Read more
Consider Brandless™
Brandless™ is a relatively new company launched in July, 2017 that focuses on better access to better quality (i.e. Non-GMO, organic) goods at a more competitive price.
Instead of relying on grocery stores for common household goods (i.e. beans, ketchup, mustard, maple syrup, tomato sauce, jam, dried fruits and nuts, grains, rice, peanut butter, and more), consumers can buy directly from Brandless™ – a company that sources their goods directly from suppliers.
There are no distribution costs, wholesale to retail markups, shelf stocking fees, breakage and settlement costs, and no retail marketing costs because the supplier is linked directly with Brandless™ who delivers the goods directly to the consumer, for free (orders over $39 are shipped free, otherwise shipping is a flat rate of $6). Read more
Bars by Big Spoon Roasters
If you’re crazy about nut butters, then you probably know all about Big Spoon Roasters – the Durham, North Carolina-based company that makes incredible handcrafted nut butters – almond, peanut, peanut pecan, peanut cashew, peanut cocoa, almond cocoa, maple cinnamon, and more. So, it seems only natural that the company would make snack bars with a base of their proprietary nut butters and house-made granola (made with gluten-free rolled oats, honey, grapeseed oil, and sea salt) along with fruits, nuts, seeds, spices, and more. Read more
Pressed By KIND®
Pressed By KIND® is a new snack bar that provides a “convenient and tasty way to add fruit” to your diet. Made primarily of fruit – mangos, apples, strawberries, bananas, pineapples, and cherries, Pressed By KIND® bars are unique in their simplicity (the name of the bar includes the ingredients).
Dairy-free, gluten-free, low-sodium, and vegan, these six bars contain no preservatives, artificial flavors or colors, and no added sugar (except for 1 gram in the two bars that contain dark chocolate). But, best of all, the bars are nutritious, chewy and delicious: Read more
Candy Bars by Nelly’s Organics
In my ongoing search for a healthier alternative to the sugary and additive filled confections offered in supermarkets, I came upon Nelly’s Organics: a line of scrumptious certified organic candy bars in the refrigerated section of a Fresh Market that sell for just $2.99 a bar (note: most certified organic chocolate bars cost two or three times as much). With no preservatives (which is why they are in the refrigerated section), additives, dyes, powders, fillers, by-products, nutritional supplements, or added stimulants, Nelly’s Organics contain real ingredients that have been certified organic. Read more
Nuttzo® Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Squares
When I was young I could never decide which was better: chocolate chip, peanut butter, or oatmeal cookie dough. When I grew up I still couldn’t decide if one was truly better than the other so after contemplating this dilemma for the better part of five decades, I had this breakthrough moment where I thought why not combine all three to make the ultimate cookie dough snack treat. Read more
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